Argentine coach: victory against Switzerland was deserved.
According to Alejandro Sabella, Argentina didn't have a good first half, but was superior in the second half and could have decided the match within the 90 minutes; "I think the team today, with the exception of the first half, played an excellent match against a difficult opponent, who sat quite defensively," he said; Switzerland's coach, Ottmar Hitzfeld, confirmed today that he will retire from coaching.
Elaine Patricia Cruz - Reporter for Agência Brasil
After the 1-0 victory over Switzerland, with a goal scored by Di María in the 12th minute of the second half of extra time, Argentina's coach, Alejandro Sabella, considered the result deserved. According to him, Argentina did not have a good first half, but was superior in the second half and could have decided the match within the 90 minutes.
"I think the team today, with the exception of the first half, played an excellent match against a difficult opponent who played quite defensively," he said in a press conference given at the end of the game at Arena Corinthians. According to him, Argentina played an "intelligent" game against Switzerland today.
Sabella highlighted the importance of Messi, who was chosen as the man of the match by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). "Messi can be truly decisive. He found Di María in the right position," he assessed. Messi's pass to Di María resulted in the only goal of the game.
Switzerland's coach, Ottmar Hitzfeld, confirmed today that he will retire from coaching. "I will continue working for German TV and continue watching the matches. But my work as a coach has ended here. I was very fortunate to be in charge of great national teams. And it was an honor to work for the Swiss team," he said, also in a press conference held immediately after the game.
According to Hitzfeld, despite the fatigue at the end of the match, Switzerland can be proud of today's game and its participation in the World Cup. "This will be a source of pride for Switzerland. It was a very difficult match. We made life difficult for Argentina. They remained calm and showed that they are a great team."
The Swiss coach praised the opposing team and also highlighted Messi's contribution. "We know that Messi can decide a game in a second. And he has enough qualities to do that. Today, he made the pass for Di Maria to finish with an excellent goal," he assessed.